Tangential Laterality; Dramatic Realness / Special Pride Edition

TL;DR is our way of bringing you condensed versions of recent news stories. Each edition contains just two stories that we believe are worth your time. We promise you should be able to digest these bite-size summaries in just under 3 minutes!

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Pride and Prejudice: Queer Defiance in Post-Coup Myanmar

Although LGBTQ+ individuals in Myanmar have historically faced adversity, their situation has arguably become even more dire since the 2021 military coup.

Prior to this, former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi had called for the destigmatisation and decriminalisation of homosexuality in the country, as part of the movement to counter the spread of HIV. 

But now under military rule, any hope for progress has been quashed. Queer human rights violations are rampant, including arrest, abduction, torture, and rape. They are targeted by police and have no laws or policies that protect them in the conservative, religious society of the country. 

Despite the horrors, the community continues to fight against oppression. Following the coup in 2021, they proudly marched in protests against the junta in Yangon and Mandalay. Some even joined the rebel forces. However, Gus, an LGBTQ+ activist, highlights the fact that the transgender individuals who have joined need access to hormone therapy – which is not accessible in the jungle where the rebels are situated.

There is some sense of hope for those who live closer to the Thailand border, where they can go to access aid. Many have also fled to the more liberal Thailand to find work, but face language and infrastructural barriers, such as not having valid identification. Moreover, people who live in the more rural areas of Myanmar struggle to reach the cities and the border due to poor transport.

The lack of NGO support also means that the safe supply of hormone therapy and other medication is limited, as well as education on how to properly administer them. The closure of businesses following the coup has also caused many LGBTQ+ individuals to lose their jobs and turn to sex work, which in combination with the lack of medical supplies, has accelerated the spread of HIV.

Even amid what is otherwise an extremely bleak situation, members of the Burmese LGBTQ+ community still find ways to live their true lives. A couple, Nyan and Mae, recently wed at Bangkok Pride in a symbolic ceremony, but intend to make their union legal once Thailand legalises same-sex marriage. Nyan sees the act of marriage itself as a form of revolution.

From protests to marriage, the LGBTQ+ community in Myanmar adopts diverse approaches to activism. In such a context, what does resistance look like to you?

The Rainbow Revolution: “Soft power” and LGBTQ+ culture in Thailand

In a revolutionary ruling this Tuesday, Thailand passed the bill to legalise same-sex marriage. This makes it the first country in Southeast Asia to do so, and the third in Asia, following Nepal and Taiwan. 

Concurrently, the Thai government is pursuing a “soft power” policy – which refers to the spreading of Thai influence by way of attracting people to the country through culture and media, as opposed to coercion or economic policy.

The T-Wave (like the K-Wave) has been peaking in the past few years, and Thai celebrities who operate in other parts of the world automatically become “soft” representatives of the country, including BLACKPINK LISA’s successful debut album Lalisa (certified 3x platinum in Korea), and rapper Milli eating mango sticky rice on the Coachella stage. 

In December last year, it was announced that Songkran (Thai New Year) celebrations were set to be expanded to the whole month from the traditional three days, following the declaration of the festival by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. Although this extension did not happen due to feasibility concerns raised by the public, it was still done on a larger scale than previous years. In an explicit move of “soft power”, the government encouraged visitors to come celebrate and promote the event.

Thailand’s progressiveness in comparison to other countries in the region is a point of attraction for tourists, especially with regards to LGBTQ+ rights. This comes with an increased interest in Y series, or Thai BL (Boys Love) content, which has become extremely popular especially in the APAC region (stars from 2gether featured above). With its widespread influence, there are plans by the government to use it as a cash grab to boost demand for Thai goods.

Political science expert Prof. Peera Charoenvattanakul explains that while “soft power” methods are effective, they should be less targeted towards economic gain and more towards curating Thailand’s image as a country with good values. He says that this can be done through getting involved in international aid, or promoting Pride Month events more actively.

It’s interesting to note that Thai queer culture is currently popular not because of active efforts by the government, but rather because there is a lack of queer acceptance within the region – a great example of its existing “soft power”. 

Considering the conservative nature of much of Southeast Asia, how do you think Thailand’s progressive stance on LGBTQ+ rights will affect its soft power influence in the region?

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